The six-week series will provide administrators no-cost access to speakers, panels, and workshops, with the goal of creating a cohort to improve early education through equity.
Waterford.org, a national early education nonprofit with a mission to achieve universal literacy through equity, access, and parent empowerment, today announced Ascend 2020, an online conference series that will bring together the greatest minds in education to focus on improving early education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virtual series begins October 21 and will run for six weeks, with several sessions each week. Educators can register here at no cost, and can customize their experience by attending live sessions or watching speakers and panels on-demand. Ascend 2020 will offer attendees the opportunity to:
- Be inspired by thought leaders including Waterford.org’s CEO Benjamin Heuston; Bethany Butzer, an expert in positive psychology and transpersonal psychology; and Julie A. Evans, the CEO of Project Tomorrow.
- Share ideas in weekly workshops about leadership, how to avoid burnout, and more.
- Network with education professionals from across the country.
Information on the issue of early education will include content normally available only to Fortune 500 companies. Speakers will also share messages of hope to alleviate the stress of trying to deliver “normal” education despite the rapid transition to online learning and the budget cuts that many districts are now facing.
“During this pandemic, we are experiencing hurdles the education world has never seen,” said Waterford.org President & COO Andy Myers. “The goal of Ascend 2020 is to bring together leaders from nonprofits, schools, the government, and our philanthropic partners to launch a cohort focused on improving early education through equity, access, and family empowerment. If we want to reach universal literacy, one thing is certain: we must all work together.”
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
